Aerosol Generating Article with Shaped Multi-Textured Filter

ABSTRACT

A filter for an aerosol generating article includes a first end for attachment to an aerosol generating article; a second end which is a mouth end which can be received in the mouth of a user; and tipping paper wrapped around the filter. The tipping paper provides four haptic regions which provide different touch experiences for a user&#39;s lips at the mouth end, wherein first and second haptic regions provide a first touch experience and third and fourth haptic regions provide a second touch experience. Rotation of the filter allows different haptic regions to contact the user&#39;s lips, and haptic regions arranged on opposing sides of the filter may provide a same or different touch experience for both the upper and lower lip of the user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a national phase entry under 35 U.S.C. § 371of International Application No. PCT/EP2020/057605, filed Mar. 19, 2020,published in English, which claims priority to European Application No.19167442.3 filed Apr. 4, 2019, the disclosures of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a filter for an aerosol generatingarticle.

Conventional cigarettes and currently available heat-not-burn tobaccosticks comprise a tobacco containing rod, a filter and tipping paper.The tipping paper provides a mechanical connection between the filterand tobacco containing rod whilst also providing a physical barrierbetween the inner filter material and a user's mouth. Moreover, thecolour or appearance of the tipping paper may be customised, such as byusing cork-like, white, glossy, or transparent tipping paper, in orderto provide consumers with multiple product designs.

Beyond this, existing filter and tipping details do little to enhancethe experience of a user. As such, an object of the present invention isto elevate the smoking or vaping and sensory experience duringconsumption of smoking, heat-not-burn or, generally speaking, aerosolgenerating articles comprising a filter.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a filter foran aerosol generating article, the filter comprising: a first end forattachment to an aerosol generating article; a second end which is amouth end which can be received in the mouth of a user; and tippingpaper wrapped around the filter, wherein the tipping paper provides aplurality of haptic regions which provide different touch experiencesfor a user's lips at the mouth end, and wherein a rotation of the filterallows different haptic regions to contact the user's lips.

In this way, an enhanced smoking experience is provided through hapticstimulation of a user's mouth. It has been found that lip and mouthstimulation can elevate sensory experience beyond taste. Hence, byapplying different textures to different tipping regions of a filter,the user can navigate between these textures to produce a recognisabledifference between lip feel experiences, thereby enhancing its smokingor vaping experience, in particular its flavour perceptions.

Preferably, the plurality of haptic regions provide different touchexperiences using one or more of: perforations, textured tipping paper,embossing, debossing, and surface smoothness. In this way, the hapticproperties of each region can be tailored to the taste of the aerosolgenerating article such that the flavour experience is elevated throughcomplementation or contrast. In one example, the tipping paper may bepre-textured and applied to the filter via a reel during manufacture. Inan alternative example, texture may be directly applied to the filter orincorporated later in the manufacturing process.

The plurality of haptic regions may comprise four haptic regions,wherein first and second haptic regions provide a first touch experienceand third and fourth haptic regions provide a second touch experience.Preferably, the first haptic region is provided opposite the secondhaptic region and the third haptic region is provided opposite thefourth haptic region at the mouth end. In this way, the filter may beorientated either such that the first and second haptic regions contactthe user's lips or such that the third and fourth haptic regions contactthe user's lips. Therefore, a consistent touch experience is provided indifferent orientations which the user can navigate between to produce arecognisable difference in lip sensations. Moreover, registration of thesame haptic experience for both the upper and lower lip may provide anelevated mouth feel experience compared to haptic stimulation of onlyone lip or dissimilar stimulation of both lips.

Preferably, the filter can be rotated through 90 degrees to move betweenthe first touch experience and the second touch experience. In this way,only a minor modification to the standard smoking behaviour of aconsumer is required in order to alternate between touch experiences.

In one arrangement, the mouth end may have a cross-sectional shape witha plurality of flat sides. In another arrangement, the mouth end mayhave the cross-sectional shape of a rounded square, wherein the fourhaptic regions are provided respectively on the four sides of therounded square. In this way, by providing different haptic regions ondistinct facets the user is able to orientate the filter with greaterease to provide the desired touch experience.

Preferably, the aerosol generating article end has a cross-sectionalshape that is substantially circular to match the cross-sectional shapeof the aerosol generating article. In this way, there is a transition inprofile from the mouth end to the aerosol generating article end. Thisallows for optimised connectivity of the filter to a smoking rod, whilstproviding a navigable mouth end with a recognisable difference betweenlip feel sensations.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided anaerosol generating article comprising a charge of tobacco containingsubstrate and a filter, as set out above, attached at an aerosoldelivery end of said charge.

In one arrangement, the charge of tobacco containing substrate maycomprise reconstituted tobacco. In another arrangement, the charge oftobacco containing substrate may comprise extruded or moulded tobaccocontaining substrate elements. In another arrangement, the charge oftobacco containing substrate may comprise tobacco cut-filler.

The aerosol generating article may be a smoking article or heat-not-burnelement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are now described, by way of example, withreference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a schematic view of a cigarette in an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 1B is an exploded view of the cigarette depicted in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is a schematic side view of the cigarette depicted in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2B is a schematic side view of the cigarette depicted in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional side view of the cigarette depicted in FIG.1A;

FIG. 2D is a schematic end view of the smoking rod end of the cigarettedepicted in FIG. 1A; and

FIG. 2E is a schematic end view of the mouth end of the cigarettedepicted in FIG. 1A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A is a schematic view of a smoking article 10, in this case acigarette, in an embodiment of the invention. The reference to a smokingarticle 10 shall in the context of the present invention and descriptionnot be construed as limited to cigarettes or other kinds of tobaccoproducts requiring burning of tobacco material to generate an aerosolinhaled by a user. The terms smoking article shall to the contrary applyand be construed to also encompass any kind of aerosol generatingarticles making use of tobacco containing substrates, be it plaintobacco leaves, tobacco cut-filler, reconstituted tobacco or tobaccoextracts in all forms, for generating an inhalable aerosol through anykind of heating technique. It may in particular encompass anyheat-not-burn tobacco containing consumable device used in connectionwith a filter for consumption by users.

The cigarette 10 comprises a smoking rod 12 comprising a tobaccomaterial or substrate connected to a filter 14. The filter 14 exhibits agradual transition in cross-sectional shape from a circular profile atthe smoking article end 141 to a rounded square profile at the opposingmouth end 142. In an alternative embodiment, the filter 14 profile mayremain constant along the length of the filter 14.

The filter 14 comprises four textured regions, corresponding to eachside of the square profile, wherein opposing sides comprise the sametextural finish. A smooth surface 143 is provided on one pair ofopposing surfaces and a dappled surface 144 in provided on the otherpair of opposing surfaces. The dappled surface 144 comprises a hexagonalarray of surface indents. This arrangement permits the user to alternatebetween two lip feel experiences by rotating the filter by 90 degreeswhilst positioned between the user's lips.

Alternatively, the mouth end 142 may comprise a differentcross-sectional profile, such as a polygon, ellipse, or combination. Forexample, if the mouth end 142 was hexagonal, the user could rotate thefilter by 60 degrees to alternate between three lip feel experiences.

As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, in alternativeembodiments the filter 14 facets may comprise any combination oftextured surfaces. Opposing surfaces may be provided with the sametexture or may be provided with different textures.

The filter 14 comprises a hollow end at the mouth end 142. The hollowend may be provided as a hollow filter segment. In this way, thetemperature of the smoke is reduced which has been found to increasetaste perception thereby enhancing the smoking experience of a user. Inan alternative example, the mouth end 142 may be substantially solid.

As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art and recited above,the filter 14 may also be provided with other aerosol generatingarticles, such as a cigar, cigarillo, electronic cigarette or HNBcigarette.

FIG. 1B shows an exploded view of the cigarette depicted in FIG. 1A. Thesmoking rod 12 contains an aerosol generating material 16, such asshredded tobacco. A number of other products and ingredients may beprovided within the smoking rod 12, as will be appreciated by a personskilled in the art.

The filter 14 is wrapped in tipping paper 18, wherein the tipping paper18 conforms to the shape of the underlying filter 14 when wrapped. Thetipping paper 18 is fed from a reel and attached to the cigarette 10during manufacture. Prior to application of the tipping paper 18 to thefilter 14, a texture is created on the tipping paper 18 such that thetextured regions 143 and 144 align with the filter 14 facets whenattached to the filter 14 following a registration pattern to ensure thetextures of the tipping 18 properly cover each of the facets fully. Thetexture may be achieved using techniques such as embossing, debossing,print finishing, or perforation of the tipping paper 18. Alternatively,surface relief may be produced by attaching pieces of material to thetipping paper 18 using adhesive or similar. In an alternative example,the textural finish may be applied after attachment of the tipping paper18 to the filter 14.

The length of tipping paper 18 exceeds the length of the filter 14. Inthis way, the tipping paper 18 also wraps around a portion of thesmoking rod 12, thereby providing secure attachment of the filter 14 tothe smoking rod 12. In an alternative embodiment, the tipping paper 18may be the same length as the filter 14.

The filter 14 is also wrapped in plug wrap paper 20 which is providedbetween the filter 14 and the tipping paper 18.

As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, the filter 14 maybe produced without tipping paper or plug wrap paper 18, and a texturalfinish applied directly to the filter 14, depending on the constituentmaterial thereof.

FIGS. 2A to 2C show schematic side views of the cigarette 10 depicted inFIG. 1A. FIGS. 2D and 2E show two end profile views of the cigarette 10depicted in FIG. 1A looking down the smoking rod end 121 and the mouthend 142 respectively. The filter 14 transitions from a circular profileat the smoking article end 141 to a rounded square profile at the mouthend 142 with a hollow conical interior 22.

Provision of the square profile at the mouth end 142 allow the user toreadily alternate between different lip feel experiences by rotating thefilter 14 in the user's mouth, whereas provision of a circular profileat the smoking article end 141 permits the filter 12 to be easilyattached to conventional smoking rods.

The side profile of the filter 14 appears narrower at the mouth end 142than the smoking article end 141. This is a result of filter 14dimensions being chosen such that the perimeter of the rounded squareprofile at the mouth end 142 is equal to the circumference of thecircular profile at the smoking article end 121. In this way,rectangular strips of tipping paper 18 and plug wrap paper 20 can beapplied to the filter 14 without the formation of creases in the tippingpaper 18 or plug wrap paper 20 or creation of a gap around the filter14.

It is believed that texture can influence the way that taste of theaerosol generated by heating the tobacco substrate in the smoking rod 12is perceived by the consumer. Therefore, the textural finishes may bechosen based on the taste profile of the cigarette 10 or filter 14,thereby enhancing the smoking experience for the user. In one example,the filter 14 may further comprise at least one frangible capsulecontaining a flavouring agent which can be released through applicationof pressure on the capsule by the user. The flavouring agent may bechosen to complement or contrast with one or more textured regions, orvice versa.

1. A filter for an aerosol generating article, the filter comprising: afirst end for attachment to an aerosol generating article; a second endwhich is a mouth end which can be received in a mouth of a user; andtipping paper wrapped around the filter, wherein the tipping paperprovides first, second, third, and fourth haptic regions which providedifferent touch experiences for a user's lips at the mouth end, whereinthe first and second haptic regions provide a first touch experience,and the third and fourth haptic regions provide a second touchexperience, and wherein a rotation of the filter allows different onesof the first, second, third, and fourth haptic regions to contact theuser's lips.
 2. The filter of claim 1, wherein the first, second, third,and fourth haptic regions provide different touch experiences using oneor more of: perforations, textured tipping paper, embossing, debossing,and surface smoothness.
 3. The filter of claim 1, wherein the firsthaptic region is provided opposite the second haptic region and thethird haptic region is provided opposite the fourth haptic region at themouth end.
 4. The filter of claim 1, wherein haptic regions of thefirst, second, third, and fourth haptic regions arranged on opposingsides of the filter provide a same touch experience for both upper andlower lips of the user.
 5. The filter of claim 1, wherein haptic regionsof the first, second, third, and fourth haptic regions arranged onopposing sides of the filter provide a different touch experience. 6.The filter of claim 1, wherein the filter can be rotated through 90degrees to move between the first touch experience and the second touchexperience.
 7. The filter of claim 6, wherein the mouth end has across-sectional shape with a plurality of flat sides.
 8. The filter ofclaim 7, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the mouth end is a roundedsquare, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth haptic regions areprovided respectively on the four sides of the rounded square.
 9. Thefilter of claim 1, wherein the first end has a cross-sectional shapethat is substantially circular to match a cross-sectional shape of anaerosol generating device.
 10. The filter of claim 1, wherein the mouthend comprises a hollow filter segment.
 11. An aerosol generating articlecomprising a charge of tobacco containing substrate and the filteraccording to claim 1 attached at an aerosol delivery end of said charge.12. The aerosol generating article of claim 11, wherein the charge oftobacco containing substrate comprises reconstituted tobacco.
 13. Theaerosol generating article of claim 11, wherein the charge of tobaccocontaining substrate comprises extruded or moulded tobacco containingsubstrate elements.
 14. The aerosol generating article of claim 11,wherein the charge of tobacco containing substrate comprises tobaccocut-filler.